Electric switch



Oct. 26 1926. n

1,604,357 w. F. KOKEN ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed July 26, 1924 IN1/N702 fer /C o en ...EYM Il. f"

v HTTOENEXS Patented @et 2G), M5226.

rem n narra s sfli L.; @Mo

ELECTRIC SVJ'ITCH.

Application. led July 26.

This invention relates to electric switches, and has for its main object to provide an inexpensive switch or novel construction, which is et such design that the contacts will be separated and closed with a quick break, thereby prevent-ing tbe contacts from' being burned or rendered detective, due to arcing oi" the electric current. i

To this end l have devised a switch, which, in its simplest form, consists of a toggle operatively connected with the movable Contact ot the switch, a spring combined with said toggle in .such a way as to normally hold the toggle broken, namely, with the members ot the toggle disposed at an angle to each other, and an operating member' that is adapted to be moved in a direction to straighten the toggle, said spring being combined with the toggle in such a way that it imparts a sudden movement to the toggle members when they reach a certain position during the operation or straightening the toggle, and thereby causes the contacts to be separated or closed with a quick break, depending upon the direction in which the operating member is moved. lli/ly invention is applicable to various kinds oft switches, either switches et the type in which the operating member is moved manually in opposite directions so as to open and close the circuit which the switch governs, or switches of the type in which the operating member is normally un der the influence ot a spring that tends to move and hold said operating member in one position.

Figure 1 oit the drawings is a side elevational. view oit a switch constructed in acv cordance with. my invention that is adapted to be used for closing an lelectric circuit in any one ot a plurality of ditllerent positions ot a controlling member, showing the movable contact ot the switch open.-

Figure 2 .is a similar` view, showing the movable contact closed.

Figure is a transverse sectional view, taken on the line ot Figure l; and

Figure 4t is a side velevational view ot a switch en'ibodying my invention, in which the operating member is adapted to be moved n'ianually in opiiosite directions to close and open the circuit.

ln the drawings, which illustrate the pre- 'l'erred -lorm ot my invention, A designates the movable contact of the switch and B 1924. Serial No. 728,391.

designates the stationary contact, the sta-- tionary contact being herein illustrated as composed of two conducting rings arranged in an electric circuit m, and the movable contact A being herein illustrated as a bar that is adapted to engage both olf said conducting rings so as to complete the circuit by bridging the space between said conducting rings. llt is obvious, however, that the movable contact might consist of a member connected to one side of an electric circuit and arranged to move into and out of engagement with a single stationary contact connected to the other side of the circuit.

The movable contact t is mov-ed towards and away from the stationary contact to close .and open the circuit by a mechanism that comprises a toggle composed of two links l and 2 pivotally connected together at 3, a contractile spring e or a plurality of contractile springs connected to the toggle links l and 2, and an operating member 5 combined with said toggle links in s uch a way that when said operating member is moved in one direction thecontacts A and B will be separated with a quick break, and when said operating member 5 is moved in the opposite direction, the movable contact will snap into engagement with the stationary contact. rllhe particular form or details of construction of the toggle members l and 2 is immaterial, so tar as my broad idea is concerned, but l prefer to construct said members in the form of two flat links, termed trom sheet metal stampings, that are arranged between a pair oit parallel plates or supporting members C to which'both of said links are pivotally connected by the pivot pin 3, previously referred to that joins the links l and 2 together. Two contractile springs 4l, which are arranged on the outside of the supporting plates C, .are connected at one end to laterally-projecting extensions on the outer end of the link l and connected at their opposite ends to similar laterally-projecting extensions 2LL at the outer end of the toggle llink 2, as shown in Figure 3. Normally, the springs l exert pressure on the toggle links l and 2 in a direction to hold the toggle broken either with the outer ends et the links l and 2 inclined downwardly, and with the springs t arranged below the pivot 3, as shown in Figure 2, or with the outer ends ot said links inclined upwardly and the springs 4t arranged above the pivot 3, as shown in Figure 1. The movable contact A ot the switch is carried by the toggle link 1 and is preferably pivotally mounted on the outer end of said link 1 in such a way that said movable contact A will bear evenly or squarely on the stationary contact ll, not-withstanding` the tact that said movable Contact A is carried by a pivotally mounted member. ln the switch herein illustrated the movable contact A is secured to a block of insulating material 6 that is fastened to a reciprocating contact carrier .7 provided with a shank 8 pivotally connected at its upper end by a pin 9 to ears v10 on the toggle link 1, the stationary side plates C between which said toggle link is arranged beina equipped with guides 11, as shown in Fig ure 1, that co-operate with the shank 8 on the movable contact carrier 7 to cause said carrier to reciprocate in a straight path dur ing` the operation of moving the contact into and out ot engagement with the stationary contact B, said guides 11 also serving as stops which limit the-movement of the contact carrier 7 when it is moving in a direction to separate the contacts.

The operating member 5 ot the switch, previously referred to7 is arranged between the side plates C to which it is pivotally connected by a pivot 127 and the inner end ot said member 5 is joined to the outer end of the toggle link 2 by a short link 12a, as shown more clearly in Figure 2. As previously stated7 it is immaterial whether the operating' member 5 consists ot a part that is adapted to be moved in one direction by a spring` which normally holds said member in one position and adapted to be moved manually in the opposite direction, or whether said member consists of a part that is adapted to be moved manually in opposite directions. ln Figures l to 3 et the drawings I have illustrated the operatingv member 5 as consisting et a part combined with two springs 13 that exert pressure on said member in a direction tending to move the con tact A towards the stationary contact B, said operatingmember 5 being; adapted to be moved in the opposite direction so to separate the contacts by a manually-operator device, herein illustrated as a spring-actusfited plunger 111, carried by a controlling member l) and arranged so that when it is pushed downwardly by exerting); pressure on a handle 14a, at the upper end ot' said plunger, the inner end of the operating member 5 will swing` upwardly, thereby causing' the link 12a to move the tonale links 1 and 2 in a direction to straighten same7 and thus cause the springs d to impart a sudden upward movement to said toggle links when said springs pass the center of the pivot El which joins the inner ends ot said toggle links to gether, thereby separating the contacts with a quick break. The springs 13 that are used to move the operating` member 5 in one direction can be arranged in various ways without departing from the spirit ot my invention, but in the switch shown in Figures 1 and 2 said springs are connected at their lower ends to pins on the supporting` plates o and connected at their upper ends to the free end oi the toggle link 2, thereby causing the toggle links to be normally under the intluence t a resilient means which constantly exerts pressure on same in a direction tendto hold the toggle links 1 and 2 in the downwardly-inclined position they assume when the circuit is closed.

ln the form ot my invention illustrated in Figure e the operatingl member 5 of the switch is not combined with a spring or springssimilar to the springs 13, but in steada is adapted to be moved manually in one direction by pressure .exerted downwardly on the outer end ot said member 5a and adapted to be moved in the opposite direction by pressure exerted upwardly on the outer end oi" said member. In the switch shown in Figure l the operating member 5 is held in either one of its extreme positions by the tension ot the springs i connected with the toggle links 1 and 2. Accordingly, in the switchV shown in Figure l the movable contact A will be held in its open position so long' as the springs l are arranged above the pivot 8 of the toggle, as shown in lligure 1, and will be held in its closed position in engagement with the stationary contact B when said springs 4 are arranged below the pivot 3 ot the toggle, as shown in Figure 2.

The switch shown in Figures 1 and 2 is intended to be used for enabling` an electric circuit to be opened and closed in any one ot a plurality ot positions of a controlling member. rlhe controlling member D is herein illustrated as consisting ot a lever or handle D .secured to the outer end ot a rock shaft 15 that turns in a stationary bearing' 15 which is provided atone end with a flange 17 that has a plurality oit deep notches 18 and a shallow notch 18n formed in same. The supporting' plates C previously referred to, are rigidly connected to the hub ot the lever D, and the operating;` member 5 of the switch .is arranged so that it will cooperate with the notched 'flange 17 on the stationary bearing 16 to hold the lever D in various positions. l.Vlien the eontrollina` lever l) is arranged in its neutral position the operating member 5 is positioned in the shallow notch 18a and the movable contact A of the switch will be held in its open position because said shallow notch prevents the operating' member 5 from moving" far enough under the influence ot the springs 13 to pen mit the springs 4l; to move downwardly helow the pivot 3 ot the toggle. and thus swing; the toggle levers 1 and 2 downwardly.

When it is desired to move the controlling member D into any one et its operative positions the handle 14a at the upper end of the spring-pressed plunger 14 is moved downwardly so as to swing the inner end ot the operating member 5 upwardly, thereby causing said member 5 to be withdrawn trom the shallow notch 18, after which the controlling` member D can be swung to the right or to the lett into such a position that the operating member 5 will align with one or the other ot the deep notches 18. lWlien said operating member moves into alignment with one oit said deep notches, the springs 13 exert pressure on the toggle link 2 in a direction to pull said link downwardly, whereupon the member 5 will move into said deep notch, and both of the toggle links will swing` downwardly below the pivot 8, due to the pressure which the springs 4 exert on said toggle links, thereby causing the contact A to move with a quick stroke into engagement with the stationary contact B. Then it is desired to open the circuit the operator pushes downwardly on the handle 14a on the plunger 14, thereby causing the member 5 to move upwardly out ot engagement with the deep notch in the flange 1'4" and causing the outer end ot the toggle link 2 te swing upwardly, whereupon the springs 4 will impart a quick upward movement to the toggle link 1 when the springs 4 pass the pivot ot the toggle, and thus cause the contacts to be separated with a quick break.

A switch ot the construction above described is inexpensive to manufacture as it is composed oit a iew simple parts of rue'e'ed design; it is reliable in operation: and as the contacts are opened and closed with a quick break, the contacts are not liable to be burned or rendered detective by areing oi the electric current.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by lietters Patent is:

1. An electric switch, comprising a movable contact, a supporting structure, two toggle links pivotally connected to said supporting structure by a pivot pin that also joins the inner ends ot said links together, the outer ends ot said links being tree to move, contractile springs connected to the free end portions of said links, a pivotally mounted operating member on said supporting structure, a connection between said operating member and one oi said toggle links, and a connection between the other toggle link and the movable contact.

9.. An electric switch, comprising a. movable contact, two supporting plates arranged in parallel relation, a pair ot toggle links arranged between said plates, and pivotally connected at their inner ends to same by a pivot pin on which both ot said links rock, the outer ends of said links being tree to move, contractile springs connected to the tree end portions ot said links for holding said links in an angular position with the springs located at one side of said pivot pin, a shank on the movable Contact pivotally connected to one of said links, and a pivotally mounted operating member on said plates joined to the other toggle link.

3. An electric switch, comprising a inevable contact, a carrier for said contact provided with a shank, a supporting structure provided with guides that co-operate with said shank to cause said contact to move in a straight path, a pivotally mounted operating member on said structure, a pair of toggle links having their inner ends pivotally connected together and also pivotally connected to said supporting structure, a pivotal connection between said operating member and the tree end of one of said links, a pivotal connection between the tree end of the other link and the shank of said contact carrier. and a spring attached to the tree ends ot said links for imparting a quick stroke to said contact carrier to open or close the circuit, depending upon the direction of movement ot the operating member.

4. An electric switch, comprising a movable contact, a supporting structure, a spring-actuated toggle composed o1"' a pair of links having their inner ends-pivotally connected to said supporting structure, a spring-pressed, rockable operating member on said -structure, a connection between said operating member and the tree end of one of said links, and means 'for pivotally mounting said contact directly on the `free end of the other toggle link.

5. An electric switch, comprising a movable Contact, a supporting structure, a rockable member pivotally connected at one end of said supporting structure, means for pivotally mounting said contact on the opposite end or tree end ot said rockable member, a second rockable member pivotally connected at one end to said structure, means for effecting a change in the position ot' the rockable member last referred to, and a resilient means combined with said rockable members in such a way that it imparts a quick stroke to the rockable member which carries the contact when the other rockable member is shifted into a different position.

6. An electric switch, comprising a movable contact, a supporting structure, a toggle composed oi two links pivotally mounted on said supporting structure and having their ends pivotally connected together, contractile springs connected to the tree end portions of said links, means tor mounting said contact on the tree end ot one of said. links, independent contractile springs connected to said supporting structure and to .the tree end ot the other toggle link, and a pivotally mounted operating member on said Cil Cil

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supporting` structure -lor moving said toggle links in a direction to straighten the toggle.

7. in electric switch, comprising a mov-- able contact, a supporting structure, a rockable member pivotally connected at one end to said supporting structure, a resilientmeans that normally exerts pressure on said rockable member in one direction, means vfor moving' said roekablc member in opposition to said resilient means, second rockable member having; one of its ends pivotally connected to said structi and its opposite end n' l ,l 1 pivctally connected to said inov ole Contact, and a contractile spring combined with said rockable members in such a way as to impart a quick stroke to the rockable member which carries the contact whenv the other rockable member is moved into certain positions.

8. An electric switch, comprising a movable contact, a shittable controlling member that is adapted to be rocked into various positions, a supporting structure on said controlling member that moves bodily with same, a spring-actuated toggle on said supportingstructure for imparting a quick stroke to said contact during` the operation of moving` .itinto and out of its closed position, said contact beingv pivotally mounted on one member of said toggle, an operating member on said supporting structure that is used to actuate said toggle, and a mea-ns that co-operates with said operating member to hold said controlling member at rest.

9. n electric switch, comprising a stationary contact, a movable contact, a shittable cont-rolling member that is adapted to be arranged in a neutral position and in a plurality of operative positions,` a springactuated toggle carried by said controlling` member and arranged to impart a quick stroke to said movable contact towards said stationary contact when said controlling member reaches any o its operative positions, and means for holding said movable contact spaced away from said stationary contact when said controlling` member is in its neutral position.

l0. An electric switch, comprising` a stationary contact, a movable contact, a shittable contre-lling` member that carries said movable contact, means for holding said controlling` member in a neutral position and in a plurality ot operative positions, a. springactuated toggle for imparting; move nent to said movable contact, and means for causingI said toggle to move said movable contact into engagement with the stationary contact when said controllingl member is arranged in either et its operative positions and i'ior causing said movable contact to be held spaced away 'from said stationary contact when the controlling member is in its neutral position.

ll. An electric switch, comprising a stationary contact, a movable contact, a shittable controlling member that carries said movable Contact, a movable operating member on said controlling,- member, a springactuated toggle interposed between said operating` member and said movable Contact, and means arranged adjacent the path oit movement of said controlling' member that is adapted to co-operatc with said operating member to hold said controlling member in a plurality of different positions.

12. An electric switch, compi" inrg z. stationary contact, a movable contact, a rockable controlling` member, a supporting structure on said controlling member, a stationary rack. a pivotally mounted device on said supporting structure that is adapted to co-operate with said rack to hold said controlling; member in dillerent positions, a spring that exerts pressure on said pivotally iounted device in a direction to move it toi ards said rack, and a spring-actuated tog le interposed between saic device and said movable contact for moving said contact towards and away from the stationary contact.

13. An electric switch, comprising` a stationary contact.r movable Contact, av rockable controlling;- member, a supportin ture on said'controlling member, sta. rack, a pivotally mounted device on said supporting` structure that is adapted to co-opcrate with said rack to hold said controlling member in diitlerent positions, a spring that exerts pressure on said pivotally mounted device in a direction to move it towards said rack, a spring-actuated toggle interposed between said device and said n'iovable contact Jfor moving' said contact towarts and away from the stationary contact, and a manuallyoperable means on said controlling` meml'icr for moving said pivotally mounted device in opposition to its actuating spring.

lll. An elecertic switch, comprising a stationary contact, a movable contact, a rockable controlling' member, a supporting1 structure on said controllingl member, stationary notched element, a pivotally mounted device on said supporting structure that is adapted to co-operate with said notched element to hold the controlling member in any one of a number of different positions, pair ot pivotally mounted toggle links on supionar'/ porting` structure, contractile springs con-y nected to the 'free end portions ot said links, a pivotal connection between the movable contact and one ot said toggle links. a connection between the other toggle link and the pivotally mounted device on the supporting structure, independent contractile springs connected to said supporting); structure and to the toggle link to which. said pivotally mounted device is connected, and a manually-operable, spring-pressed plunger on said controlling` member 'for moving' said pivotally mounted device in a direction to disengage it from said notched element.

lVAL'lER l?. KOKEN. 

